Refrigerator door latch



1940- A. H. GROEGER 2,212,563

REFRIGERATOR DOOR LATCH Filed Aug. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 73 lNVENTORflFRED N. 6905667? f ATTORNY REFRIGERATOR DOOR LATCH Aug. 27. 1940.

Filed Aug. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR n1 108 ALFSIED H. GROEGER93 6:7 I --129 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE REFRIGERATOR DOOR LATCH Alfred E. Groeger, Jamaica, N. Y.,assignor to Kason Hardware Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y.

This invention relates to latches for doors of refrigerators, and thelike closures.

An object of this invention is to provide a latch of the characterdescribed having a handle to retract the tongue of the latch, meansbeing provided to easily adjust the handle to a plurality of angularpositions relative to the edge of the door on which the latch ismounted, and the handle being operable to retract the tongue in any ofthe adjusted positions.

Thus, for a door with the latch at arms height, the latch may be setwith the handle pointing outward, horizontally. For a door with thelatch above arm's height, the handle may be set to point downwardly, andfor a door with the latch below arm's height, the handle may be set topoint upwardly. The same latch may thus be set to various positions tomake it convenient to open the refrigerator door, and obviates thenecessity for stocking different latches with handles in diiierentangular positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a latch of the characterdescribed, having a spring pressed tongue, the spring beingnormalltsubstantially under no strain or compression when the tongue is notretracted, and said spring being strained or compressed only when thetongue is retracted, whereby to extend the life of the spring.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a latch oi thecharacter described, 'a main spring, normally expanded, and compressedonly when the tongue is retracted upon pulling back the handle, and asecond auxiliary spring to prevent looseness and play in the handle- Afurther object of this invention is to provide a latch of the characterdescribed having a tongue engaging the keeper and formed with an openingadapted to receive a padlock or pin to prevent retraction of the tongue,and opening of the door, the keeper being provided with notches toaccommodate such padlock or pin.

A yet further object of this invention is to provide a concealed latchfor a refrigerator door having a tongue adapted to be retracted bypressing a lever on a handle fixed to the door, improved means beingprovided to adjust the latch for various size doors and to hold thelatch operating mechanism in adjusted position.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide in a latch of thecharacter described, a casingadapted to be attached to a door, a handlehaving a rocking connection relative to said casing, and an assemblyincluding a. tongue and means to retract the tongue when the handle isrocked about its connection, said assembly being insertible into thecasing and fixed thereto as a complete unit, and removable therefrom assuch.

A still iurther object of this invention is to provide a strong, ruggedand compact door latch of the character described, which shall berelatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, install andadjust, smooth and positive in operation. and yet practical andefiicient to a 10 high degree in use.

Other objects oi this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, 15

and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructionhereinafter described,

,and of which the scope of application will be indicated in thefollowing claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is 20 shown various possibleillustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator door and door jambprovided with a latch and keeper embodying the invention, and show-- ingthe handle pointing out in horizontal position in full linesfandpointing up and down in vertical positions, in dot-dash lines;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I0 45 designates a door and H adoor jamb. Attached to the door l0, adjacent the edge of the latter, isthe latch I2, embodying the invention and cooperating with a keeper l3attached to the door jamb.

The door jamb ll comprises a casing ll having a front wall l5, top andbottom walls l6, and wall I1, and another end wall I 8 at. the edge ofthe door. The casing I4 is open at the rear. Ex-

tending from the top and bottom walls It are 55 apertured flanges it toreceive screws which fasten the casing M to the door It. The wall itdisposed adjacent the edge of the door it is formed with a slot 22 forthe purpose hereinafter appearing.

. The front wall It is formed with a circular opening 24. The inner rimedge of said opening is preferably of part-spherical shape, for thepurpose hereinafter appearing. On the inner side of the front wall I5are a pair of diametrically opposed, aligned, vertical radial grooves ornotches 23 on opposite sides of the opening 24; and a pair ofdiametrically opposed, horizontal radial grooves or notches 29 onopposite sides of said opening.

The casing I4 is also formed on the inside thereof and adjacent the endwalls I! and I8 with recessed shoulders 30. spaced from the door w, forthe purpose hereinafter appearing. The shoulders 30 are formed withhorizontal screw threaded openings 3|, perpendicular to the door Fixedto the casing i4, and disposed therein, is a member 32 having a flatwall 33 contacting the door l and formed with pairs of apertured ears34, contacting the shoulders 30, and fixed thereto by screws 35 passingthrough the apertured ears and screwed within the screw threadedopenings 3|. 1

' Extending from the wall 33, toward the front wall l5, are a pair oftop and bottom parallel walls 36. The walls 36 are formed with a pair ofaligned openings 31 at one end and adjacent the one pair of ears 34.Said walls 38 are formed with another pair of aligned openings 33' andwith a pair of aligned arcuate slots 33. The wall 33 furthermore isformed with a central forwardly extending tubular flange or boss 40, forthe purpose hereinafter appearing.

Extending through the'openings 33 is a shaft 4|, projecting beyond saidwalls 36. Pivoted to said shaft is a member 42 having a pair of parallelwalls 43 disposed within the parallel walls 36 and having apertures 44at one end receiving the shaft 4|. Walls 43 are furthermore formed withaligned openings 45 carrying a transverse shaft 46 passing through thearcuate slots 39. The walls 43 are interconnected by an annular portion4'! of part-spherical shape, having a central opening 43, for thepurpose hereinafter appearing. Interposed between the annular portion 41and the wall 33 is a coil compression main spring 50, one end whereofreceives the annular flange 46 on said wall 33'. Disposed within thespring 50 and contacting the rim edge of the annular or tubular flange40 is a cup shaped member Disposed within said cupshaped member is anauxiliary coil compression spring 52, lighter than the spring 50. Thespring 52 projects through the opening 43 in the annular portion 41 andcarries a pin 53 having a head at its front end, for the purposehereinafter appearing.

Extending through the openings 3'! in the walls 36 is a transverseshaft. 55. Pivoted on the shaft 55 is a tongue 56 projecting through theopening 22 in wall It of the casing l4. The tongue 56 is formed with atransverse slot 58 receiving the transverse shaft 46, whereby pivotalmovement of member 42 about the shaft 4| will cause pivotal movement ofthe tongue 53 about the shaft 55. Member 42 thus has a sliding pivotalconnection relative to the tongue. The tongue 66 is formed with avertical through opening 60 disposed wholly outside of the casing I4when the tongue is in projecting position.

- ter therebetween.

- door jamb Ii.

Pivoted to the outer ends of the shaft 4| is a member 62 having parallelwalls 33 disposed on the outside of the walls 38, and receiving the lat-The walls 63 are interconnected by a dome shaped member 35, adapted tocontact the head 64 of the pin 53.

As shown in Fig. 4, the member 62 may be swung away from the pin 53 whenthe latch is disassembled. The dome shaped portion 36 is adapted toreceive and contact the part-spherical ring shaped portion 41 whenmember 62 is swung about the shaft 4|, in the manner hereinafterappearing.

To retract the tongue 66 there is provided a handle having apart-spherical shaped head II at one end disposed within the opening 24of the front wall I5. The inner surface 12 of the head H is curved andadapted to contact the dome shaped member 35. The head II is providedwith a pair of diametricaly opposed radial projections 13 adapted to bereceived within the vertical notches 28 of the front wall i5 when thehandle is in horizontal position. The head II is also provided with aradial rib or projeotion 16, disposed at right angles to the ribs orprojections I3 and adapted to be received within one of the grooves ornotches 23 when said handle is in horizontal position.

It will now be understood that the spring 53 rotates the member 42 aboutthe shaft 4| to bring the shaft 46 to the front ends of the arouateslots 39 for the purpose of projecting the tongue 56 through the opening22 in wall 3 of the casing, for engagement with the keeper IS on theWhen the tongue 66 is projected, the spring 50 is practically under nocompression or strain, being substantially fully expanded to as not tobe under any strain normally when the tongue is in projected position,as for example, when the door is closed or open. The spring 62, however,presses the pin 53' against the dome.

shaped member 65 which in turn, presses against the inner surface 12of-the head 1| of the handle in, so as to prevent play or looseness ofthe handle.

To retract the tongue 56, the handle is pulled forwardly so as topivotally move about an axis perpendicular to the handle and parallel tothe door. The head presses the dome shaped member 65, pivotally movingmember 62 and compressing the spring 52. When the dome shaped member 65contacts the ring shaped member 41, and the handle is further pulledforwardly, the spring 50 will then be compressed as the member 42 isrotated about the shaft 4| to rotate the tongue 56 in acounter-clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 2 of the drawings, toretract said tongue in said casing.

The life of the spring 50 is extended by reason of the fact that it isnormally under no compression or strain, and is only compressed duringthe time that the handle'is pulled to retract the tongue. Only the lightspring 52 which prevents looseness or play in the handle is under somecompression sufficient to prevent looseness or play in the handle.

It will be noted that removal of the screws 36 permits the entireoperating mechanism to be removed as an assembly or unit from thecasing. The members 32, 36, 62, 56, together with the shafts 4|, 46 and31, and the springs 50 and 52 and the cup shaped member 5| and the pin53 may be assembled together and thereafter attached as a unit withinthe casing. The handle 10 may be assembled by passing the handle throughthe opening 24 from the inside of the casing, prior to insertion of theoperating unit.

Where the latch is at arm's height, it is desirous to have the handle inhorizontal position.

However, when the latch is below arm's height,

it is desirous to have the handle in vertical position, pointingupwardly. The handle may be readily changed to vertical position,pointing upwardly,-by opening the door and pressing the tongue inwardly,as shown in Fig. 3, to permit the radial projections I3, I5 to bereleased from the notches 28, 29. The handle may then be swung throughan angle of ninety degrees to point upwardly, whereby the projectionsenter the notches 29 and the projections I5 enter the lower notch 28.Pressure is then released from the tongue 58 so that the springs 58 and52 will hold the handle in operating position. The handle may similarlybe swung downwardly to vertical position by pushing the tongue inwardlyand holding the same while the handle is moved downwardly to suchposition.

It will now be understood that the handle of the latch may be adjustedto one of three positions to make the latch convenient to use.

A padlock 88 may be passed through the opening 88 in the tongue toprevent the tongue from being retracted, and hence, prevent opening ofthe refrigerator. The top and bottom walls 8| of the keeper may beprovided with aligned notches 82, registering with the opening 68, toreceive the padlock.-

In Figs. 6, -7, 8 and 9 there is shown a door latch, embodying theinvention, and illustrating a concealed type of latch. In said figures,85 designates a door and 86 a door jamb. The door jamb 86 has a recess81 at the edge thereof, and

fixed to said edge is a keeper 88, having a socket portion 89 disposedwithin the recess 81. The keeper 88 also has a serrated portion 98 towhich there is attached a strike edge 9|.

The door 85 is provided with a chamber 92 extending to one edge of thedoor, and forming front and rear walls. The front wall is formed with anopening 93 communicating with said chamber. I

Attached to the edge of the door is a plate 94 having openings 95 in thecorners thereof to receive screws 98 for attaching said plate to saiddoor. The plate 94 is formed with a central, substantially rectangularopening 91 communicating with chamber 92, and a pair of parallelapertured ears 98, projecting into the chamber and disposed at saidopening.

Extending through the apertures in ears 98 is a shaft 99. Mounted onsaidshaft andfixed to the plate 94, is a member I88 having top and bottomwalls I8I formed with openings to receive said shaft and having edgeportions contacting the inner surface of the plate 94'. Parallel wallsI8I are interconnected by a fiat wall I82, preferably inclined to thefront surface of. the door. Wall I82 is formed with a pair of parallelslots I83 and with a central annular flange I84.

Pivoted to the shaft 99 is a tongue member I85 projecting through theopening 91 in plate 94 and adapted to engage with the keeper 88.Thetongue member I85 has parallel side walls I86 formed with aperturesto receivesaid shaft 99. Said walls I86 are also formed with a pair ofaligned openings to receive a transverse shaft I 81. i

Pivoted to said shaft I81 is a U-shaped member I88 'having parallel sidewalls I89 passing through the slots I83. .The walls I89 areinterconnected by wall H8 formed with a central opening III.

Interposed between the wall H8 and the wall I82, and engaging flange I84at one end, is a coil compression spring H2 normally fully expanded andunder no compression, but retaining the tongue member I85 in projectedposition in engagement with the keeper 88.

Fixed to wall H8 and passing through the opening I, is a screw threadedmember H4 passing through, the opening 93in the front portion of thewall 85. Screwed to the screw threaded member H4 is a polygonal memberH5 projecting beyond the opening 98.

Fixed to the door 85 is a hollow handle I28 having a wall I2I coveringthe opening 98, but formed with a polygonalopening I22 to receive thepolygonal member III. Pivoted within the handle I28, as at I25, is alever I28, normally projecting from the handle and having-a portion I2'Icontacting the polygonal member H5. The projecting portion of the leverI28 is formed with a through opening I 28, normally exposed and To openthe door the handle I28 is grasped and the palm of the hand is pressedagainst the lever I26 to push inwardly against the screw H4 forcompressing the spring H2 and rotating the tongue member I85 in aclockwise direction, looking at Fig. 8 of the drawings, to retract thesame. Since the spring I I2 is normally under substantially nocompression, and is compressed only when the lever I26 is pressed, saidspring will last for a long term.

By rotating the polygonal member H5 about the screw II4, the latch maybe adjusted to accommodate doors of various sizes. After the handle I28is attached to the door; however, and the polygonal member H5 isreceived within the polygonal opening H2 of the handle, rotation of saidpolygonal member is prevented so that the parts remain in adjustedposition.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,it is tobe understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A latch of the character described, comprising a casing adapted to befixed to a door, adjacent the edge of the latter, a tongue within saidcasing, means to project said tongue from said casing means to retractsaid tongue into through said connection, said handle being rockableabout said connection in said various angular positions thereof toretract the tongue into the casing, said means for projecting saidtongue from said casing, including a spring normally substantially fullyexpanded and substantially under no compression when said tongue is inprojecting position.

2,31 latch of the character described, comprising a casing adapted to befixed to a door, adjacent the edge of the latter, a tongue within saidcasing, means to project said tongue from said casing, means to retractsaid tongue into said casing, comprising a handle having a rockingconnection at one end with said. casing, and being adapted to be swungabout said connection away from said door to retract said tongue intosaid casing means for maintaining said handle in various angularpositions relative to a plane perpendicular to the door and passingthrough said connection, said handle being rockable about saidconnection in said various angular positions thereof to retract thetongue into the casing, said means for projecting said tongue from saidcasing, including a spring normally substantially fully expanded andsubstantially under no compression when said tongue is in projectingposition, and additional spring means for preventing play and loosenessof said handle and to maintain said handle in engagement with saidretaining means.

3. A latch of the character described, comprising a member having anopeningga tongue within said member, means to project said tongue strainwhen said tongue is in projecting position,

means for retracting said tongue into said, casing including a handle,and additional spring means to prevent play or looseness in said handle,said handle being adapted to compress both springs when moved to retractthe tongue.

5. In a latch of the character described, a member, a tongue pivoted tosaid member and adapted to project through said member, means for movingsaid tongue to a position projecting from said member, includ ng asecond member pivoted to said first member and engaging said tongue torotate said tongue when said second member is rotated, and spring meansfor moving said second member, said spring means being normally undersubstantially no strain when said tongue is in projecting position, andmeans to move said second member and compress said spring means forretracting said tongue into said casing.

-6. A latch of the character described, comprising a casing adapted tobe attached to a door, adjacent the edge of the latter, said casinghaving an opening, a. tongue within said casing, means for projectingsaid tongue from said casing, and means for retracting said tongue intosaid casing, said latter means comprising a handle having a part-sphercal head received within said opening, a plurality of projections onsaid head and disposed within said casing, and fixed means on the insideof the casing to engage said projections.

'7. A latch of the character described, comprising a casing adapted tobe attached to a door, adjacent the edge of the latter, said casinghaving an opening, a tongue within said casing, means for projectingsaid tongue from said casing, and means for retracting said tongue intosaid casing, said latter means comprising a handle having apart-spherical head received within said opening, a plurality ofprojections on said head and disposed within said casing, fixed means onthe inside of the casing to engage said projections, and spring means toretain said projections in engagement with said last means.

8. In a latch of the character described, a

casing adapted to be attached to a door, adjacent the edge of thelatter, a member fixed tothe casing and carrying a shaft, a secondmember pivoted to said shaft and carrying a second shaft, parallel tothe first shaft,'a third shaft carried by said first member and disposedparallel to said first two shafts, a tongue pivoted to said third shaftand having a slot receiving said second shaft, a coil compression springinterposed between said first two members to rotate said second memberabout said first shaft for projecting said'tongue from said casing andmeans to rotate said second member and compress said I spring forretracting said tongue into said casing.

9. In a latch of the character described, 9. casing adapted to beattached toa door, adjacent the edge of the latter, a member fixed tothe casing and carrying a shaft, a second member pivoted to said shaftand carrying a-second shaft, parallel to the first shaft, a third shaftcarried by said first member and disposed parallel to said first twoshafts, a tongue pivoted to said third shaft and having a slot receivingsaid second shaft, a coil compression spring interposed beber pivoted tosaid shaft and carrying a second shaft, parallel to the first shaft, athird shaft carried by said first member and disposed parallel to saidfirst two shafts, a tongue pivoted to said third shaft and having a slotreceiving said second shaft, a coil compression spring interposedbetween sa d first two members to rotate said second member about saidfirst shaft for projecting said tongue from said casing, and means torotate said second member and compress said spring for retracting saidtongue into said casing, said spring being normally substantially fullyexpanded and under no compression.

11. In a latch of the character described, a casing adapted to beattached to a door, adjacent the edge of the latter, and being formedwith an annular opening, a member attached to said casing, a shaft onsaid member, a second member pivoted to said shaft, a second shaftcarried by said pivoted member, a third shaft carried by said firstmember, a tongue pivoted to said third shaft and engaging said secondshaft, a coil compression spring interposed between said first andsecond members to rotate the second member about said first shaft toproject said tongue from said casing, a. third member pivoted to saidfirst shaft and having a dome shaped portion, a spring interposedbetween said first member and the dome shaped member of said thirdmember, a handle having a part-spherical head received within theopening in said casing and engaging said dome shaped member, a pluralityof radial projections on said head and disposed within sa d casing, saidcasing being formed with a plurality of radial grooves to receive saidprojections.

12. In a latch of 'the character described, a casing adapted to beattached to a door, adjacent the edge of the latter, and being formedwith an annular opening, a member attached to said casing, a shaft onsaid member, a second member pivoted to said shaft, a second shaftcarried by said pivoted member, a third shaft carried by said firstmember, a tongue pivoted to said third shaft and engaging said secondshaft, a coil compression spring interposed between said first andsecond members to rotate the second member about said first shaft toproject said tongue from said casing, a third member pivoted to saidfirst shaft and having a dome shaped portion, a. spring interposedbetween sa d first member-and the domeshaped member of said thirdmember, a. handle having a partspherical head received within theopening in said casing and engaging said dome shaped member, a pluralityof radial projections on said head and disposed within said casing, saidcasing being formed with a plurality of radial grooves to receive saidprojections, said first spring being normally substantially expanded andunder no strain when said tongue is projected from said 13. Incombination, a door having a chamber extending to one edge of the doorand forming front and rear walls, the front wall of said door beingformed with an opening, a member fixed to the edge of said door to coversaid chamber, said, member being formed with an opening, a tonguepivoted to said member and adapted to project through the opening insaid member, a second member pivoted to said tongue, spring meansinterposed between said first and second members, a screw on said secondmember, a handle fixed to said door and having a wall covering theopening in the front wall of said door, said wall being formed with apolygonal opening, a polygonal member screwed to said screw and beingnon-rotatably received within said polygonal opening, and a memberpivoted to said handle and disposed therein and having a portionprojecting therefrom, and a portion engaging said polygonal member.

14. In a latch of the character described, a member, a tongue pivoted tosaid member and adapted, to project through, said member, means formoving said tongue to a position projecting from said member, includinga second member pivoted to said first member and engaging said tongue torotate said tongue when said second member is rotated, spring means formoving said second member, said spring means being normally undersubstantially no strain when said 'tongue is in projecting position,means to move said second member and compress said spring means forretracting said tongue into said casing, and additional spring meanspressing against said moving means and likewise adapted to be compressedby said means when the latter is actuated to retract said tongue.

15. In a latch of the character described, a casing adapted to beattached to a door adjacent the edge of the latter, a member fixed tothe casing and disposed within said casing, a second member pivoted tothe first member, a tongue pivoted to said member about an axis parallelto the pivotal axis of said pivoted member, means on said pivoted memberto rotate said tongue when said pivoted member is rotated, spring meansto rotate said pivoted member for projecting said tongue from saidcasing, and means to rotate said pivoted member for retracting saidtongue into said casing.

16. In a latch of the character described, a casing adapted to beattached to a door adjacent the edge of the latter, a member fixed tothe casing and disposed within said casing, a second member pivoted tothe first member, a tongue pivoted to said member about an' axisparallel to the pivotal axis of said pivoted member, means on saidpivoted member to rotate said tongue when said pivoted member isrotated, spring means to rotate said pivoted member for projecting saidtongue from said casing, means to rotate said pivoted member' forretracting said tongue into said casing, said casing having an opening,and said means comprising a handle having a part-spherical head receivedwithin the opening of the casing, a plurality of radial projections onsaid head and disposed within said casing, fixed means within the casingto receive said projections, said handle being rotatable about an axisperpendicular to the door to various angular positions, and said handlebeing adapted to be rotated about an axis parallel to the door in itsvarious angular positions to move said pivoted member for retractingsaid tongue.

ALFRED H. GROEGER.

